Ginsu Essential Series 14-Piece Black Knife Set with Natural Block - Premium Stainless Steel Serrated Cutlery Set

Suddenly, I feel like cooking again. Chopping onions, dicing carrots, making perfect juliennes with red peppers and mincing the garlic fine for my famous (!) vegetable medley is...effortless. All because of these knives. Ooh they are sharp! So be careful or you may end cutting yourself! I love the fact that the knives are sharp right out the box. Many people swear by their forged knife blades but that makes the knives heavier. I have another set from Pinzon (Amazon's brand) and yet another from Cuisinart that I barely use as they are heavier and not as sharp as these knives. I think stamped blades are great as they are lighter and thinner like these Ginsu knives. If you cut vegetables more than meat then you need knives like these. For meat you need heavier blades with more balance and "brute force". For slicing a tomato so fine that you can see through it you need a Ginsu. With a Ginsu in your hand you'll end up sculpting roses from your radishes! Update 11/5/08: I have been using these knives for 1.5 years now. They're still doing fine and are still very sharp. I regularly throw them in the dishwasher and they have not shown any signs of rusting. I love these knives and miss them if I am cooking somewhere else. I use the steak knives as everyday knives for slicing veggies and they work very well. If I ever purchase another set I will go with Ginsu again. Update: 8/27/2013: Still using these knives after 6 years. Still going strong and are pretty sharp. Although we took to using some as box cutters and for other reasons and lost a few of the steak knives. Luckily, Amazon sells steak knives separately in packs of 4 Ginsu Essential Series 4-Piece 4.5-Inch Stainless Steel Steak Knife Set with Triple Riveted Polymer Handles 4805 so I ordered more.

I needed a knife block set for my kitchen, I was on a budget and after doing a lot of research on Amazon I ended up going with this Ginsu set and I'm glad I did. It looks great on my kitchen counter and it doesn't come across as "cheap". The knives themselves are very sharp and cut well through meats and other types of food. The steak knives do the trick with thick steaks too. The scissors are great for a wide variety of household tasks too. I've read quite a few reviews saying to not put these knives in the dish washer. Although I've been careful to hand wash and dry them myself, my girlfriend forgets occasionally and puts them in the dish washer but they have not shown any signs of rust which is good to see. Overall this is a great starter set of knives that are sharp and look nice too. I'd definitely recommend them, especially if you're on a budget.

For the average cooking family you can't beat these knives. I could not afford the Henkels from Germany but have owned the Chicago Cutlery knives made in the USA. Difference is that the more professional knives are extremely sharp when new but will dull down after a good amount of use. Sharpening them never brings them to factory edge and finding the right sharpner is always hard and expensive. The Ginsu knives do solve the problem of sharpening. They are not miracle knives, just a normal blade with serrations on them. Their sharpness cannot compare to new pro level knives - I would rate Ginsus a 7 out of 10 where 10 is a new pro level knife's sharpness. But the 7 rating will always stay with the Ginsu whereas a pro level knife will dull down to a 3-4 rating down the road without sharpening. They are very durable and for the price good quality, I do not miss my Chicago Cutlery implements. I use them daily in the kitchen and they are more than adequate for family cooking. Chopping, slicing, dicing, paring, can all be achieved with the set. The steak knives are very good and will easily cut that well done sirloin. I did cut an aluminum can and it works afterwards too. Slicing tomatos thinly is a little more difficult as only the sharpest knives do the best jobs. Ginsus are good sharp not excellent. One thing I noticed is that the serrations of the knife can cut the Ginsu knife block if you re-insert them for storage. I just turned all the knives serrations up so the back tang rests on the block - so removing and re-insertions don't cut into the block...... I recommend it - and I've owned my for over 4-5 years and they still work great. Its a good product and my hasn't fallen apart or stained after daily use. My Chicago Cutlery knives just sit in the cupboards collecting dust......

Okay, so we'll be honest here... These aren't the BEST knives ever. They aren't nearly as heavy and solid feeling as some might like.. but for this price you absolutely cannot get a better knife. I bought this set as a gift for someone who has a bit of a love-affair with "sharp knives"... and he was absolutely 100% pleased with this set. They are incredibly sharp and easy to manage. Best knives ever? Of course not-- but do they get the job done (meaning, do they CUT well?) absolutely yes! As a side note-- in response to those who are complaining about rust spots-- that is what happens when you put knives in a dish washer. All knives should always be washed BY HAND and dried immidiately (regardless of what the packaging says!) Complaining about rust spots after having put them into a DISHWASHER is like complaining about ruining your silk shirt after putting it into the washing machine. With proper care, these knives will not disapoint someone looking for a good, sharp everyday kitchen knife.

They were really cheap. the block they're in looks decent enough. the knives themselves are all serrated, which i didn't realize (besides the biggest one) -- but really.. no biggie. they look nice, they feel nice, they work nicely...that said... REMEMBER to DRY them thoroughly. One of mine within a week or so -- i left it in the sink in some water, it is COMPLETELY rusted. basically throwaway-rusted. since then, i've been pretty diligent with cleaning them immediately after use and drying them.. but i didn't dry one thorougly the other day, and looked at it in the drying station that i put them in (even after i manually dry them) -- and it's got rust all the way thru it. they are NOT stainless or anything. rust like mad. BUT if you're careful w/them they will be great.

All of the foodie knife snobs told me to go with Heinkels or Wüstof. That was about a dozen years ago. Since then, my Made in Germany Wüstof Chinese cleaver is still going strong (with regular sharpening and honing), my Made in China Wüstof chef's knive is as dull as the day I've bought it (never holds an edge for more than a few days), and my Made in China Heinkels sits in the back of the drawer unused. Picked up a cheap sankotu knife (also made in China) at Bed Bath and Beyond Outlet for $15 and the thing keeps an edge better than either of my $90 "German" knives. So to make a long story longer, I decide I need to break down and get a proper set of knives with a block. I remember those stupid Ginsu commercials from the '70s (the one where the dude in the karate outfit cuts a nail with a steak knife then cuts a tomato) and I figure, hell, $37 for 14 knives and a block and 600+ 4-star reviews? Free shipping with Prime and my Amazon benefits knocked the price down to $19. Kinda worried about the whole rust thing, but read the instructions (I know! Crazy, right?) and it clearly says HAND WASH ONLY. Might be problem with lazy or stupid people, but I want to get mileage outta these so, hand wash it is. No biggie. I gotta hand wash my Lodge Ironware so a couple knives won't kill me, unless someone stabs me with these. Which reminds me: DON'T STAB YOURSELF WITH THESE. And if you do, you're certain to get a good clean cut. Nothing worse than slicing yourself with a dull knife. These are razor sharp. They tear through vegetables like ca-ca through a loose goose. The larger knives are a bit thin and flexible, but I'm not stripping a carcass down. The serrated knives should stay sharp a while; the straight edge knives will need a good monthly sharpening (either a stone or one of those handheld dealies should suffice) along with a good honing steel. The steak knives are the icing on the cake. I can finally toss out those old 1950s era hand-me-downs. So if you're considering blowing $300+ on a "professional" set of knives because they're more expensive and therefor the "best," save your money. Most of those elite German knives are made in the same damn Chinese factories cheap-o knives like these are made in. You're paying for a label. If you want to cut meat, fish, and vegetables with ease, you can do a lot worse than these at five times the price.

I find the quality/construction just fine! Chose the triple riveted reinforced handles & it feels quite sturdy. My wife used the steak knives & was not happy thought too flimsy, but she was using the wrong knife to cut fruit & veggies!! I use the 4" knife religiously!! the larger knives do their job purposely! the steak knives work just fine & sturdy enough to cut steaks/pork/chicken. Only slight off for me is the scissors don't look nice but hey they do the job! They are super sharp. cuz it's my brand new replacement set (laser knives prior) I am cleaning & towel drying right away & place knives upside down cuz they are sharp & will over time cut the wood block where you will get wood chips. May not look as nice but works for me. Just have to remind the wife to do the same!! & for the price, sorry can't beat it! $26 was a gr8 promo deal with free shipping!! beats all those more pricier $100+ sets!! if this lasts me 5yrs hey it's only $5.20/yr!! no brainer!! highly recommend!

Edited Review: After just a few months, I am extremely unhappy with these knives. For comparison, I have one or two of what I consider nice mid-range knives (brands like Calphalon), which I virtually never sharpen and have been really pleased with. These knives have never rusted on me even after I've done plenty of stupid things with them like run them through the dishwasher or leave them in a wet sink. I just wanted a basic matched set in a block, which led me to Ginsu. So that is my reference point for these knives. Unfortunately, I hate these and will be giving them away on craigslist - and I don't think I will ever be buying Ginsu knives again. I take pretty good care of my knives, and they are almost all dull and rusted. After 3-4 months! They didn't cut well the first day I used them, so it's not even just a wear issue. I just about cut my hand off using these on basic tasks like cutting up tomatoes or onions - foods that should not be difficult to cut with a good knife. They are AWFUL and food sticks right to them instead of coming away from the knife like higher end knives tend to do. I even have a little $5 generic brand paring knife from a "big box store" that I will not name that lasted me two great years of sharp, easy use. So it is safe to say these are the worsts knives I have ever used. I am truly amazed at the amount of positive reviews, and it is hard for me to think they aren't either coming from broke college students who have never used a good knife before (which is fine..!) or people who reviewed after only using them one time. If you can't afford a full, decent knife set right now, I would recommend just buying maybe two key knives from a nicer line - a paring knife and chef and/or santoku would do - and then building your collection as you go, buying an empty knife block if you need it. These knives are cheap, dull, and have cheap looking handles. The weight is poorly distributed on the knives and they are too lightweight. You run much greater risk of cutting yourself with knives like these - so don't do it!

Amazing products! They work perfectly as the description! Highly recommend

Nothing like my older Ginsu knives the grip is uncomfortable hand aches and soar after a bit of chopping

After getting other 'quality' knives that I sent back to the company, I decided to go back to Ginsu and I wasn't disappointed. Ginsu makes the best knives that are well made, balanced and continue to perform years after purchasing. I have a smaller set that's over 20 years old with no sharpening and no rust. Ginsu are the only knives to own.

Si estan muy bien por el precio, el costo beneficio genial, tuve mis anteriores por 11 años y estos la verdad si fueron una mejora, no te confies al cortar estan mas filosos, y si los lavas con cuidado y se secan antes de guardarlos te duraran mas. los recomiento!!!

I've had this product for a while now and I have to say it is the best knife set I've purchased to date. The knives come super sharp and pretty much ready to go, and the wood block is a nice compliment to the set. I would recommend hand washing the knifes though and drying them instead of putting them in the dishwasher or letting them sit and dry. I know they are supposed to be stainless steel, but stainless steel is perhaps the greatest lie ever told. They will begin to rust unless taken care of properly.